Los Angeles Dodgers: The talking heads would have been talking this weekend

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 09: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after giving up a solo home run to Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals in the eighth inning of game five of the National League Division Series, to tie the game 3-3, at Dodger Stadium on October 09, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

This weekend would have marked the return to Dodger Stadium for the Washington Nationals for the first time since they shocked the Dodgers in the NLDS last year.

The Los Angeles Dodgers held a 2-1 lead in the National League Division Series last year when they lost Game 4 in Washington. No worry they would go back home with arguably their best pitcher, Walker Buehler toeing the rubber.

The Dodgers led 3-1 after seven innings and then the floodgates opened and quite possibly the doors to the bullpen should have opened more. So much second-guessing of the decisions Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made, the majority of which would have taken place this weekend.

Had the season began as planned prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the Washington Nationals would be back at Dodger Stadium for the first time since leaving as victors last postseason. Three games would have taken place under the California sky, but nationwide, newscasters, beat writers, and bloggers alike, would have had their eyes glued to this meaningless April series.

The results of the three games would pale in comparison to all the copy Game 5 of the NLDS would have gotten. Dave Roberts would have been raked over the coals time and time again for his decision to pitch Clayton Kershaw in the 8th inning, for bringing Joe Kelly back for the 10th inning and staying with him after letting the first two hitters reached.

Kershaw would have himself turned into a subplot. Another appearance in the postseason gone awry. He could have pitched a complete-game shutout in his turn this weekend, striking out ten, but the ghosts of playoffs past would have sounded the airwaves.

Team President Andrew Friedman would have been talked about. He would have been ridiculed for giving Roberts another year when most thought he was done after bungling the playoffs last year. The Mookie Betts acquisition would have been under the microscope as well.

Seven straight division titles and no World Series rings to show for it. Too bad there is no baseball, there would have been a lot of material to cover this weekend in Los Angeles.